Demitri Downing
Founder / CEO of PolicyQuake Lobbying and Consulting
As a former Prosecutor, Demitri Downing and his team bring a level of professionalism, compliance, and accountability that needs to be the new standard. In 2012, after a long career in law enforcement and government relations, Demitri entered the Marijuana Industry with his family in Arizona. They became operational dispensaries in four cities in Arizona before exiting this enterprise.
During the last few years, Demitri has worked as a lobbyist, dispensary agent & acquisition specialist, written legalization initiatives, designed the SWCCEXPO emerging markets conference series, held job fairs, investment seminars as well as participated in many other projects. Demitri now facilitates others in exploring their interests in the space, having helped dozens of people acquire employment and enjoys working with startups and advising others on their investment strategies. Demitri was also a founding member of NICC, the National Indian Cannabis Coalition, and created MITA, the Marijuana Trade Association of Arizona. Demitri also founded and is the strategic analyst for the AMMA PAC in Arizona.
Meet the PolicyQuake Team
Brian Warde
CEO and Co-Founder for DMC Services and Zanzibar Prime management companies
Brian Warde is currently the CEO and Co-Founder for DMC Services and Zanzibar Prime management companies for Rainbow Collective / The Prime Leaf and Total Accountability Patient Care-licensed dispensaries for medical cannabis in Arizona. Since 2014, Brian has been responsible for the short and long-term strategic planning, acquisitions, compliance and operational requirements for medical cannabis retail and cultivation for the Arizona patient market.
Brian is an active and well-respected member of the cannabis business community. He has served on the board of the Arizona Marijuana Industry Trade Association (MITA AZ) for the past two years. With support from Arizona labor and agriculture, he took on a central role in lobbying the state legislature to pass legislation in 2019 involving greater sales tax and testing transparency for dispensaries, extending patient cards for two years, alteration of rural licensing allocation rules, and the addition of a cannabis committee to help legislators better understand the industry. He is currently nominated to serve on this committee.
Brian has extensive experience in grant, legal, government, retail and non-profit management. Prior to Brian’s transition to the cannabis industry, he was the COO for a legal technical assistance provider for the Department of Justice (DOJ) serving all federally funded (DOJ) and nationally recognized Indian Tribes in the United States and was the Special Liaison for the Prosecutors office for one of the largest federally recognized tribes in Arizona. Brian specialized in non-profit and government operations in addition to being an on-site trainer for law enforcement, judges, prosecutors, and victim support services in sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking crimes against native women in rural and urban tribal communities.
Brian also served 14 years in operational management for two national retailers and held multiple management and executive positions for these companies in sales, human resources, operations, recruiting, and loss prevention.
Giulia Valluzzi
Strategic, High-Performing Cannabis Industry Operations & Business Development Leader
Nurture and achieve outstanding results as an emerging thought partner in the growing cannabis industry, driving disruptive gains and innovative organizational impact.
Motivated operations visionary, proficient in project management and consultative strategy. Unify multiple business functions and organizational disciplines, promoting synergy. Bring value-added expertise and insights as high-performer, supervising cross-functional departments and quarterbacking national and international projects. Growth-focused, driving revenue, product innovations, and new industry alliances. Skilled in client relationships with a proven talent for earning trust and finalizing negotiations for lasting, mutually beneficial partnerships.
The PolicyQuake Story
Demitri Downing and his team have been in the middle of the development of the medical marijuana industry since 2012. He has developed a deep understanding of the nuances of the emerging industry even guiding in the writing of Prop 205. In 2016 Demitri Downing became the founder of MITA, the Arizona Marijuana Industry Trade Association (formerly the DNA dispensary Network Association), Arizona’s first and largest industry trade association. He is also the Co-founder of the Southwest Cannabis Conference and Expo and founding member of NICC, National Indian Cannabis Coalition, an organization focused on guiding native communities into emerging Cannabis market opportunities.
Demitri has distinguished himself in the Cannabis industry with his understanding of the regulatory structure and the emerging marketplace in Arizona and nationally. Demitri, through his company PolicyQuake, has lobbied in Nevada & Arizona for pro-industry changes in the law as well as advised and helped develop numerous dispensaries and cultivations operations. A registered lobbyist and former Tribal Prosecutor Demitri, brings to the industry a level of professionalism, compliance, and accountability. Demitri is currently working on many projects in different States to help advance the growing marijuana industry and business interests, he is also an advisor to the Arizona recreational initiative committee. Demitri is graduate of University of Arizona College of Law and currently based in Phoenix Arizona.
Ready for the next step?
Contact PolicyQuake for all of your cannabis industry questions.